HBCU vs. PWI: institutional integration at PWIs and Black doctoral student depression, anxiety, and stress

Abstract

This study sought to explore the experiences of Black doctoral students at PWIs. Utilizing Tinto's (1975) theory of college student retention as a foundation, this research was guided by the premise that Academic and Social Integration are related to mental health outcomes for Black doctoral students at PWIs, and that type of undergraduate institution attended prior to graduate education is an important factor. The purpose of this study was (a) to determine whether there is a relationship between Academic Integration (as measured by Academic and Intellectual Development and Faculty Concern for Student Development and Teaching) Social Integration (as measured by Peer Interactions and Interactions with Faculty), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress for Black doctoral students at PWIs and (b) to determine whether type of undergraduate institution (attending an HBCU or PWI) is a factor that indicates differences in these variables. A total of 140 Black doctoral students from PWIs across the Midwestern, Northeastern, and Southern regions of the United States completed a demographic form, the Institutional Integration Scale (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES; Owen & Freeman, 1988), and the Scale of Perceived Social Self- Efficacy Scale (PSSE; Smith & Betz, 2000). Analyses conducted in this study included correlational, standard multiple regression, and MANOVA. Results of the correlational analyses showed a significant negative relationship between Depression and all four measures of Academic and Social integration. Also, Peer-group Interactions and Academic and Intellectual Development both had a significant negative relationship with Anxiety and Stress. Results of the regression analyses showed that the three models, including all four measures of Academic and Social Integration, were significant in predicting Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. Peer-group Interactions was a significant predictor across all three models. Academic and Intellectual Development was also a significant predictor in the model predicting depression. Results of the MANOVA showed that type of undergraduate institution was a significant factor in differences between Academic and Intellectual Development and Anxiety for this sample of Black doctoral students at PWIs. Clinical implications and areas for future research are also described.